“Celebrated and not just tolerated”: Why HBCUs are important

By James Burkhalter

Picture of HBCU Wall Street by Wikimedia Commons

For approximately 700 students at Owasso High School, it is time to start applying for colleges and begin the first steps to the rest of their lives. There are plenty of opportunities and options for colleges all over the United States. If you were to try to remember any college off the top of your head, it’s likely that you thought of a predominately white institution or a PWI. Although PWIs are the majority of colleges in the U.S., there are other options available, like historically black colleges and universities, HBCUs. 

HBCUs were created during the 19th century during segregation to give African Americans the chance to obtain a higher education. HBCUs faced a sizable amount of pushback and opposition in their early years, but there are 107 institutions that are still operational.

People of all ethnicities and backgrounds can apply and attend HBCUs, similar to any other school. At one of the most esteemed HBCUs, Howard University, the first five students enrolled were white women because their fathers were trustees of the university and weren’t allowed an education elsewhere in DC.

These institutions historically and currently aim to be a place where all students can transition into their adult life. This fact was reinforced when talking to Mr. Dezz Lewis, director of student support services at Langston University, the only HBCU in Oklahoma.

“HBCUs…provide students with something they can’t get anywhere else, and that’s diversity, inclusive community, and a place where you can be celebrated and not [just] tolerated,” Lewis shared.

Many schools pride themselves on their inclusivity, parading the percentage of students of color on their campus, but HBCUs were founded on inclusivity. If you’d like to go to a large school with an active student life, there is Howard University, St. Philip’s College or North Carolina A&T State University. If you’d rather attend a small school, Bluefield State College, Bowie State or of course Langston University would be perfect for you. 

“HBCUs are a safe place…the opportunities are endless,” Lewis said proudly.

Mr. Lewis is an alum of Langston University, and his love for the school and all HBCUs is apparent when he has the opportunity to speak for them. He, along with his coworkers, takes a personal approach to helping students adjust to life in college and prepare them for adulthood. The staff at HBCUs, especially Langston’s, do what they can for the well-being of their students because they care. Langston gives many openings to students with an acceptance rate of 61%, and 70% of the student body are first-generation college students. Many other HBCUs have high acceptance rates, so they can provide a college for the kids who truly need them.

“Most of all, at HBCUs, what you’ll receive is a sense of belonging,” Lewis stated.

To give students of color a place to belong, in places where they may not, is one of the main goals of HBCUs across the country. Finding a place to belong has been a battle for African Americans for years. They fought for a place at the table when no one else was willing to give them a seat. One hundred eighty-five years ago, African Americans had to fight for education in a world not made for them, so they made their own.